Letter from the Wakefields (Peru, Day 25)

September 19, 2012

We recently received the following letter from Gordon and Florence Wakefield. About a month ago men broke into their home. We praise the Lord for their safety.

September 13Dear Fellow Servants,We, as well as our guests, often comment about our quiet neighborhood and house. On Saturday, August 4, at 6:15pm, we had just finished eating a small supper before leaving for a wake. We were taking our dishes to the kitchen when I was stunned by pounding, wrenching and splintering at our front door, and then three men burst through the door. I screamed at the men and Gordon said afterwards that he had heard no noise. From the look on their faces, we concluded they were as surprised as we because they probably thought no one was at home—there was no one in the front or back of the house and our car was in the street. The large men kept us from leaving or from going upstairs, while another man darted upstairs and began ransacking and throwing things onto the floor. In just minutes he ran down with my pillowcase filled with my things—my travel case which contained nothing of value, my jewelry box with sentimental pieces, and a tiny jewel box which contained a keepsake watch from “Aunt” Florence Houston given to me 50 years ago by “Uncle” Robert Houston. The break-in took perhaps 15 minutes and it would have been fewer if they had just pulled the latch string! But later it took hours at the police station. The occupants of the other two houses lost considerable money, passports, tickets, documents and TVs. Two days later a police detective came and asked many questions and tried to find fingerprints but had no success because my pillowcase had been used as a glove. The detective was very ashamed that people in his country had treated us old foreigners in this manner.The thieves did not touch us, and all our friends say that God surrounded us with His angels. A month later we are somewhat recovered from the fright, and cooperating with increasing security. We need your continued prayers.Gordon and Florence Wakefield